Park Gold
by Charles Dylan
Summary: A harrier pilot in the counter offensive for Washington, during the Soviet Invasion


Park Gold  
  
"We have a mission for you gentlemen."Those were the words that greeted us as we walked into number two briefing room at PTAB or Pentagon Temporary Air Base. These were a set of hangers and Heli pads behind the Pentagon. We were flight commanders for 1231 Squadron (Int). Int stood for International, which was the designation for squadrons of non Americans fighting for America against the Soviets.  
We were mainly Irish with four English, three Welsh and an Australian, Dick "Thumper" Andrews We flow Harrier Jump Jets. They were bombers. We were part of the American offensive against DC, where the Ivan's were entrenched.   
"The mission,"Major Joplin raised his voice slightly "is to take out the Ivan's Ore refinery. It happens to be in Central Park and we haven't enough tanks to take it and it's less risk if you take it. It's marked on the maps. You'll have to fly low along the Potomac till you reach about 2 minutes out then pop up, fire off the missiles and get the hell out of there. Understood."  
"Yes sir." We chorused like school boys taking special lesson from the Principal.  
With that we ran to our planes. They were in dispersal area's by flights. My flight was me, MacMurphy, Thumper Andrews and Clark. Each plane was armed with two side winders and two .50 cm cannons for plane defence there was also the one big rocket called a Type 33 packing a punch with 15Kg of HE1 packed into the warhead.  
We took off and flow low across the boundary, past the generator park, then we flow down the access road and across the golden brown parkland down to the water. We skimmed across the greenish blue water that shimmered in the sun. We tore down the Potomac, twisting and turning to the rivers every want. I always wondered if the Ivan's had any satellites to keep track of us. I never found out.   
My hands never rested, as flight leader I had to check my airspeed, the formation of my flight, my flights position in relation to other flights. Also I had to act as a lookout for any incoming attacks as my flight lead the Squadron.   
I switched the radio on.  
"We're 5 minutes out people." Then we were in range and it was time to rise from the river, like a phoenix from the ashes. I clicked my radio once and we rose like a phantom to haunt the Ivan's. We were just short of the Ninth street bridge. I rose and armed my missile then fired. I stayed to watch as we demolished the ore refinery. That would seriously dent the Sov's finances. I was watching my radar.   
I saw lots of blips appear on my radar in a line north, they moved left to right, they were red they could be only one thing.  
"Troop movement on 9th, I'm gonna take a look see, who's coming."  
There was silence.  
"Don't all rush, ok I'll go on my own."  
With this I fired up and lifted to a level with 9th Street Bridge. I flow past once and did a double take, the hole bridge was packed with V3 rocket launchers. With no AA defence. Not a flack trooper in sight. I radioed in a report. I raced back to base. The others were waiting on the Tarmac.   
No Flack Trucks or Troopers around. We piled in and rearmed with cluster bombs. These were large bombs packed with tiny bomb lets the size of ball bearings. Some of us had incendiary rounds in our cannons including me. We took off and raced down the slip way and skimmed across the park at tree top height. We flow up the slip road the other side of the park and along the road next to the hospital that was in our hands. We flow to the east end of the bridge and popped up, then flow the length of the bridge letting cluster bombs rip.   
I swerved and tried to avoid some of the explosions around me that had been caused by previous cluster bombs, we were now the flight flying to the left of the squadrons lead flight. I let rip and we sore the drivers jumping into the Potomac. The ones in the middle on the other hand were burnt alive. I turned as we came to the end of the bridge and re ran them dodging the explosions that were left from the previous flights. I staffed what looked like a command truck. It blow up. Then I saw that leaking oil was dripping down the side of the bridge. I turned at the end of the bridge and went back down the slip road and dived under the bridge going slowly, only 60mph, rather that 100's of mph I had been doing before.   
I staffed the oil slick. It exploded. Oh shit I thought. I remember now, Ivan's petrol goes up at the slightest provocation. I came up and flow strait over the burning trucks. I felt my controls seize up as I levelled off and came down. The red fire warning light came on suddenly.   
"Mayday, Mayday, Romeo Lima 1231 Star Quebec, to Papa Tango Alpha Beta."  
"Papa Tango Alpha Beta, to Romeo Lima what's up son." asked Mat our flight controller.   
"Romeo Lima is on fire."  
"Papa Tango Alpha Beta How far out are you Romeo Lima."  
I glanced at my radar.  
"Romeo Lima 's 'bout five to two minutes out." As well as telling him time this told Mat my rough position.   
"Hokay, Romeo Lima, I have visual, you have a fire up top, come in west to east. If your brakes don't work drop'er in the Potomac."  
They didn't work, like a scene out of a cheese B movie. I came in with my wheels lowered. I touched the ground for a moment then I heard a bang. Mat came on the radio.  
"Papa Tango Alpha Beta to Romeo Lima dump'er kid, you're wings on fire. Majors orders."  
"Hokay, Papa Tango Alpha Beta, Romeo Lima's drop in' this bird. She's gonna sleep with the fishes."  
I loosened my safety harness. Then I eased the power back. I dropped her flaps. I turned her head slightly up river and took my safety harness completely off. Then I pressed the button.   
There was a whoosh and a crack as I smashed through the glass. Then there was another crack as my canopy deployed. I came down gently, with a grand stand view of an infantry company attacking across the bridge down river. I could see a fair bit of war torn Washington. I hit the water and turned to see my plane sink gentle to the bottom. I felt an unnerving sense of loss. Me and my plane had been places. From Colorado Springs to Canada and now at the bottom of the Potomac. A sad end to a great plane.   
I shrugged off my harness and set out for the shore. The sun shone down on me as I swam front crawl down the Potomac. A crowd including my flight were gathered at the edge of the shear drop to the Potomac. I swam a hard front crawl. Then I decided it was a nice day so I flipped on my back a started to swim back stroke. I felt my head bang against the side. I looked up to see a Russian face staring at me. I swam back a couple of strokes to see the Pill line was still firm. Then from there I didn't care. I closed my eyes and swam a slow lazy back stroke till I grounded.   
Then I got out of the water. I took off my flying overalls. Now sodden and my helmet. Then I got up slowly and saw a group of GI's standing looking at me. I walked past them up to the Out Buildings as the three fortified buildings which guarded the back entrance to our field was. They were heavily fortified. A M 16 poking from every window. I walked past these, past the prism towers and on till I reached Number two briefing room.   
I flopped into the chair. I turned to see Major Joplin looking at me. He sighed and turned back to the window.  
"Alright., next time I tell you to send the squadron in 'cause there's a heaven sent opportunity, tell me not to be a fool."  
"By the way that Ivan face was a prisoner." I saw his reflected face break into a smile.  
  
By   
  
Nick Larmour 


End file.
